Bucs Mailbag: Todd Bowles On The Sizzling Seat, CB Considerations, Dime Protection

QUESTION: How sizzling is Todd Bowles’ seat heading into the 2026 season? 4 of the primary 5 draft picks had been spent on protection, and the consensus was the Bucs had a prime 5 draft class. An above common protection is now a requirement absolutely, proper?

ANSWER: Todd Bowles does enter the 2026 season on the recent seat after final yr’s 2-7 collapse down the stretch that led to Tampa Bay ending 8-9 and lacking the playoffs. One other dropping season this yr and the Bucs should make a change, particularly after the entire defensive additions this offseason. The most important drawback with Bowles’ protection over the past couple of seasons has been the shortage of a constant and efficient go rush. Tampa Bay’s go rush must be a lot better this yr on account of loads of various factors.

The primary of which is the brand new exterior linebacker additions of first-round decide Rueben Bain Jr. and veteran Al-Quadin Muhammad. Bain was regarded by some as the very best participant within the 2026 NFL Draft and is coming off a 9.5-sack season in Miami. Muhammad had a career-high 11 sacks final yr with Detroit and is an skilled veteran. Each gamers play with a nasty edge, which Tampa Bay has been lacking since Ndamukong Suh and Jason Pierre-Paul had been with the workforce again in 2021.

Bucs OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Picture by: IMAGN Photographs – Mark J. Rebilas

Then throw in the truth that Yaya Diaby is coming off an excellent season because the workforce’s main sacker with seven, and is getting into a contract yr, and this has the makings of a a lot better edge rush in 2026. Actually higher than final yr when the surface linebackers totaled simply 14 of the protection’s 37 sacks.

Moreover, the Bucs will get a “bonus draft pick” in David Walker, final yr’s fourth-round choice who missed all of final yr with a torn ACL in coaching camp. Walker is again and may present a greater go rush as a reserve than both Anthony Nelson or Chris Braswell did final yr. If defensive sort out Calijah Kancey can keep wholesome for a majority of the season and supply instant stress up the center that can solely assist the surface linebackers of their pursuit of the quarterback.

Veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone is an improve over Lavonte David, who was 33 and injured final yr, and SirVocea Dennis, particularly in protection. Plus cornerbacks Jacob Parrish and Benjamin Morrison must be higher in yr two after displaying some promise as rookies. And Tykee Smith must be even higher in his third yr in Tampa Bay and getting into his second season as a security. Higher protection on the again finish will solely assist out the workforce’s go rush up entrance.

I might say Bowles’ protection must be no less than above common – if not good in 2026. He wants to include all of those new items into his defensive scheme rapidly and simply name some good video games. No extra excuses now for Bowles.

QUESTION: Actually suppose the draft and free company improved the go rush, however what are your ideas on the secondary nonetheless being a priority?

ANSWER: There isn’t a doubt that the Bucs’ entrance seven obtained a lot of the consideration this offseason in free company and within the NFL Draft. And that was the good play as a result of the entrance seven was an enormous letdown final season, particularly with exterior linebacker Haason Reddick proving to be an costly free agent bust. Add in the truth that defensive sort out Calijah Kancey missed 14 video games on account of a pectoral harm, and inside linebacker Lavonte David was a shell of his former self at age 33 and was coping with a lingering knee harm and the entrance seven wanted to be revamped.

But it surely wasn’t like Tampa Bay’s secondary didn’t have its personal points, both. Accidents on the cornerback place had been an issue final yr, and the secondary was a giant let down within the Bucs’ loss on Thursday Evening Soccer towards the Falcons when the protection didn’t get a cease on third-and-28 and fourth-and-14. Veteran starter Jamel Dean left by way of free company and veteran reserve Kindle Vildor wasn’t re-signed on account of his poor play final yr.

Bucs CBs Jacob Parrish and Zyon McCollum – Picture by: Cliff Welch P/R

The cornerback place lacks expertise exterior of Zyon McCollum, who’s getting into his fifth season after a down yr in 2025 after signing a profitable contract extension. Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish will battle for the correct to interchange Dean on the surface of their second season, whereas Keionte Scott was drafted within the fourth spherical and will take over at nickelback.

I feel the Bucs have some professional depth at nickelback with Parrish, Tykee Smith and JJ Roberts all able to enjoying that place if Scott isn’t as much as the problem or will get injured. However the place Tampa Bay lacks depth is at exterior cornerback, particularly from an expertise standpoint. The Bucs added Chase Lucas and Kemon Corridor within the offseason, however neither has a lot expertise on protection – largely simply on particular groups. Josh Hayes is getting into a contract yr, however he’s largely recognized for being an ace particular groups gunner and never for his go protection on protection.

Tampa Bay can be clever so as to add a veteran with expertise to fit in at CB4 on the depth chart. The workforce has completed this in years previous with Bryce Corridor in 2024 and even with Vildor final yr, though he wasn’t excellent. Rasul Douglas and Mike Hilton are nonetheless accessible, however would both play particular groups over the age of 30? And would both be efficient on particular groups as a result of that’s what kind of position CB4 must play? That’s what makes it powerful to discover a veteran cornerback for depth functions.

QUESTION: With Keionte Scott’s addition and questions on Josiah Trotter protection talents, can we count on extra utilization of a dime bundle? Particularly since all 4 center DBs (Keionte Scott, Jacob Parrish, Tykee Smith, and Antoine Winfield Jr.) are additionally fairly first rate blitzers and actually good property towards the working sport?

ANSWER: Probably, and I might like to see it. But Todd Bowles usually runs a far more nickel protection than he does dime protection. The Bucs ran simply 27 performs in dime protection in 2024 (2.54% of the snaps) and solely 11 in dime final yr (1.1% of the snaps). Final yr Tampa Bay ran nickel protection 61% of the time, which was a lower from deploying nickel 70.4% of the time in 2024. The distinction, after all, is that nickel protection options 4 defensive linemen, two linebackers and 5 defensive backs, whereas dime protection options six defensive backs, and usually one linebacker and 4 defensive linemen up entrance.

The explanation why the Bucs ran much less nickel final yr – and likewise much less dime – was as a result of they had been in base personnel extra typically as a result of league-wide pattern of groups deploying extra 12 (two tight ends) and 13 (three tight ends) personnel packages. If that pattern continues in 2026, there gained’t be a lot of a rise in dime utilization as a result of that will create an enormous dimension drawback that will favor opposing offenses.

Bucs ILB Josiah Trotter – Picture courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I feel that’s why Bowles and basic supervisor Jason Licht drafted an even bigger center linebacker like Missouri’s Josiah Trotter, who’s 240 kilos. Trotter may also help fight an anticipated improve in utilization of 12 and 13 personnel in 2026 as a result of he’s a stack-and-shed linebacker who’s large enough and bodily sufficient to tackle offensive linemen on the second stage.

I like the truth that the Bucs are forward-thinking right here and are getting forward of the curve with NFL offenses leaning into heavier tight finish utilization fairly than drafting an undersized linebacker who could be nice in protection, equivalent to Pittsburgh’s 6-foot-1, 220-pound Kyle Louis. Even Pitt knew that Louis wasn’t large enough to play within the field to cease the run frequently and sometimes had him enjoying the overhang linebacker place within the slot.

I feel Bowles would possibly deploy a dime secondary that options safeties Tykee Smith and Antoine Winfield Jr., exterior cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison, in addition to inside slot defenders Jacob Parrish and Keionte Scott to fight third-and-long conditions towards offenses working 11 (three receivers) or 10 (4 receivers) personnel. However I doubt that will be a commonly deployed bundle, and possibly wouldn’t rise above 2-4% utilization given Bowles’ monitor document.

QUESTION: Curious, what’s the course of for election into the Bucs Ring of Honor? It virtually appears there isn’t any rhyme or purpose with gamers equivalent to James Wilder and Hardy Nickerson nonetheless on the surface trying in. Love your content material and SR’s occasional rants!

ANSWER: Thanks for the type phrases. As for the method that goes into the Bucs Ring of Honor, I actually want I knew. It’s sort of a carefully guarded secret, and you might be appropriate – there isn’t any rhyme or purpose relating to the decision-making course of. I do know the Glazers in the end determine on who will get in, and maybe Brian Ford, the workforce’s long-time COO, may also have a say.

Typically the workforce has elected two members of the group into the Ring of Honor on the similar time. Typically the workforce goes years with out an induction. Tremendous Bowl-winning head coach Bruce Arians acquired into the Bucs Ring of Honor instantly after retiring, whereas legendary defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin needed to wait a long time to get in regardless of having extra wins as a Buccaneers coach (head coach or assistant) than anybody else in franchise historical past.

Former Bucs MLB Hardy Nickerson – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

Simeon Rice, the latest inductee, additionally needed to wait a long time to get into the Ring of Honor. And I feel Hardy Nickerson, a five-time Professional Bowler and one of the vital vital components of Tampa Bay’s turnaround underneath former head coach Tony Dungy, is lengthy overdue for his induction into the Ring of Honor. He must be the following inductee for my part and it’s against the law he’s needed to wait this lengthy.

As for former Buccaneers working again James Wilder, I’ve heard that he doubtless gained’t get inducted for some private causes regardless of him nonetheless being the record-holder for essentially the most speeding yards in franchise historical past amongst different distinctions. Nickerson will be the final member who commonly wore the Bucco Bruce uniforms to get in. After him, the following spherical of inductees might be the likes of Tom Brady, Shaq Barrett, Lavonte David, in addition to Mike Evans as soon as he finally retires.

STATEMENT: Would love a Pewter Report Podcast episode devoted to particular groups. Give attention to failures final yr and the way these points are being addressed for subsequent yr.

ANSWER: It is a nice matter for an upcoming Pewter Report Podcast episode for certain. To ensure that us to essentially communicate intelligently concerning the Bucs particular groups we’ll have to talk to new particular groups coordinator Danny Smith. We’re anticipated to talk to the entire assistant coaches and coordinators later in Could, so we’ll sort out this matter after Smith’s press convention. Keep tuned.